Nationals... can I say I hate supernationals? Mostly because I hate enormous crowds of people and waiting in line for food.

We have a uphill battle in the K-8. Canyon Vista has a 2 1900s, an 1800, 2 1700s, and Masterman has a 2000, a 1900, and 2 1800s. We have 2 1900s and 6 1700s. The nice thing is that if we lose, my good friends Greg or Mike win.

I'm a little more optimistic about the K-6, where we have 2 1600s and 6 1500s. I'm not too sure who our main competition is, but my sixth graders are pretty good.

We're also competing in the high school under 1600, the k-9 under 1250, and we have teams in the under 1000 and under 750, but I think those lower sections are all rigged and unwinnable anyway. I strongly believe the USCF should be checking the rating history of all winners, team and individual, in these under sections. Some very fishy things go on.